Last week's issue of Dark Horse Presents had an announcement that it would be the last issue; the book was canceled.This despite solicitations for future issues in Previews, and the issue including several stories that ended uncompleted. (Thankfully, the issue featured the last chapter of Paul Levitz's and Tim Hamilton's 16-chapter "Brooklyn Blood," so I got closure on that, at least!)

Today brings news that issues 3-5 of The Once and Future Queen, a limited series published by Dark Horse, would be canceled -- but would see print as part of a trade paperback collection that included issues 1 and 2 in November.

It's been a while since Dark Horse lost the Star Wars license -- and they had plenty of warning when they did -- but I wonder if these cancellations are a symptom of a wider belt-tightening at the publisher? Star Wars was a really big segment of their publishing, and I don't think anything has yet managed to take its place. Maybe bit by bit that's taken its toll.

Regardless, I hope Dark Horse Presents returns in some form; I like having a monthly purchase that regularly surprises me with its contents. 


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  • Dark Horse has been pushing its Buffy and Aliens franchises and Hellboy isn't as prominent as it once was.

    And its Conan books but they're not doing as well as they were at Marvel.

    For April, all I'm getting from them is Dead Inside (the last issue of a mini) and Dept. H which is on the chopping block.

  • Isn't Dark Horse starting Karen Berger's new line of books soon?

  • Berger books, yes. I hope it does well for them. I'm really looking forward to it. 

    And I don't think the company is on the ropes, by any means. I just think these might be signs that there's some adjustment in store, and it might've snuck up on them.

    They're also publishing the American Gods comic -- which I have a feeling is going to see a lot more interest once the show gets on the air next week. (Likewise, Aliens might be making more of a dent with the new movie on the way.)

    Right now I'm buying Rebels, and if there's a new Resident Alien miniseries, I'll be there. 

  • I picked up the latest issue of Rebels (either a new arc or a new miniseries, not sure which), but haven't read it yet. Also by Brian Wood from DH, I'm a huge fan of Briggs Land. It reminds me so much of recent TV shows that I have loved, like Big Love, the family from Fargo Season 2, and to a lesser extent, Bloodline.

    Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:

    Right now I'm buying Rebels, and if there's a new Resident Alien miniseries, I'll be there. 

  • Back to the subject at hand, I have to admit I didn't buy more than one or maybe two of the current Dark Horse Presents book, but I always liked that it was there. I remember back during the original run, when you would have a three part Hellboy story, or a Sin City short running through. Unless I'm mistaken, there was some Nexus in those pages as well. I remember discovering Paul Pope in those old books as well with stories like "The One-Trick Rip-Off" and "Pan-Fried Girl".

  • Briggs Land is a book I'm not sure if I'm going to read in trade, or if I'll wait until the TV show comes out. Glad it's working so well for you!

    DHP introduced me to a lot of great artists and writers -- I remember "The One-Trick Rip-Off"! Sin City, Mister Monster, Matt Wagner's unfinished The Aerialist, the Nocturnals, Hellboy, Concrete -- all gold. 

    When I go to the East Coast Comicon this weekend, I'm going to scan cheapo boxes for old issues of DHP, to see if I can fill in some gaps. 

    DHP has the problem of putting out a book where people won't enjoy every story at a price point where people can write off a clunker or two. $4.99 for 48 pages (sometimes 56) is a bargain in these days of $3.99 for 20-page comics. But generally, you're getting 32 pages of enjoyment out of those 48, with another two stories of "meh" -- but the "meh" stories are different for everyone. $4.99 for 32 pages is still not a bad deal, though. 

  • I wouldn't doubt that DH is cutting its line -- not only in anticipation of the Berger books, but due to a general glut. (Brian Hibbs wrote a much-forwarded article recently saying that's Marvel's problem -- too many books.)

    I usually skip the interviews with publishers at ICv2.com, but I read a recent one about Dynamite because the headline was that they planned to scale back, and that made me curious. (And yes, they are and have been.) If you're interested, ICv2.com interviews Mike Richardson (pub of DH) fairly regularly, and there was one just last week or so, so you might take a look at those interviews and see if he mentions cutting back.

  • Thanks a lot, Cap!

  • Here's the Brian Hibbs article. He's a cranky cuss who likes riding his hobby horses, but he's occasionally right. I don't know if he is here or not, but it's interesting reading.

  • Oh yeah -- we've been discussing that one over on this thread.

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